Gamers familiar with the Cooking Mama (see our review) series will immediately be familiar with some of the elements of the game, although the titles play differently.

The screen opens with a zoo setting, and by using the d-Pad you can navigate around the zoo to virtually meet some of the animals. Basically everything else is done using the stylus. If the animals are healthy, then you just look at them moving around happily and can read up on them. If the animals are sick, then their icon will start blinking, and you’ll need to go treat them. Click on the blinking animal, and you’ll see an animal writhing in pain.

To treat the animals, you go through step-by-step and check their heart, temperature, etc., and match up the stats with a document that says what each of these should be. You are then asked if you should operate, with a yes and no check box. If you guess wrong, then you’re sent back to the main zoo screen.

Get it right and you get a mini-game or two that typically involves heavy use of the stylus. You’ll scrub off yucky stuff in animal eyes, give shots, and treat broken bones. All of these games are simple, but they get more challenging as you go along. Succeed, and you unlock another animal to visit. At the same time, another creature will need your loving medical attention.

You’ll notice similarities to Cooking Mama in the mini-games, the way new tasks unlock and also in your awards for success. But instead of gold medals, you are graded at each individual task. And eventually you gain proficiency and better achievements inside each animal type.

Graphics and sound are sort of an afterthought, but most will like seeing their patients go from sad to happy.

Overall, this is a fun little title that could provide a lot of gameplay fun for kids and for animal loving adults. It’s educational, because you learn a ton about a variety of zoo animals. But mostly, it’s just fun. If you’re eagerly awaiting the follow-up to the surprise hit Cooking Mama and need something to hold you over, then this is the game for you.